CM visits North Sikkim, hands over ex gratia payments

WANGCHUK BHUTIA
MANGAN, 23 Sept:  Chief Minister Pawan Chamling visited the North District HQ, Mangan today, travelling over road via Dikchu, making several stops to talk to groups of earthquake affected people along the way. At the District Hospital here, he handed over Rs. 50,000 each to all injured people admitted there and spent time with them, hearing out their terror and offering words of consolation.
He also visited the Ringhem Monastery above Mangan which has suffered 70% damages.  The Head Lama in-charge, Acharya Aptuk Lepcha, made a fervent plea for repairs and rehabilitation. The CM promised to rebuild the monastery and requested the area MLA to start the process of rebuilding.

While sharing his grief over the situation, the Chief Minister appealed to all the people to stand united at this moment and contribute in the relief work.
He also assured that the government will extend all help to all victims and informed that he will be visiting every affected area even if it takes a month to reach all the affected people.
He further appealed to the people not to get disturbed or panic to rumours being spread by miscreants.  He informed that all the monasteries will be repaired and retrofitted to fortify them for the future and assured that the original structure and design will be maintained. In cases where the monasteries are completely damaged, they will be re-constructed, he said.
The pucca and wooden houses which have completely collapsed will be reconstructed into one storey RCC buildings and loss of live-stock will also be compensated, he added.
The CM handed over ex-gratia payments of Rs. 5 lakh to the kin of the deceased and Rs. 50,000 to the injured.
He also handed over monetary relief to all the concerned offices and Gram Panchayat Units- Rs. 50 lakh to the DC Office, Rs 10 lakhs to SDM Office, Rs. 5 lakhs to each GPU, BAC and Nagar Panchayat, Rs. 10 lakhs each to the Pipons of Lachen abd Lachung and Rs. 1 lakh to the Relief Camps.
With this, he said he was empowering all Panchayats and Dzumsas which will enable them to take immediate action to operate relief and rehabilitation without any bureaucratic delay.
The relief was handed over in the presence of Power Minister-cum-area MLA Dzongu, Sonam Gyatso Lepcha, Area MLA, Lachen-Mangan, TW Lepcha, District Collector North, SK Pradhan and other officials. Apart from this, damage compensation for the victims was also handed over today.
On his way back, the CM also visited the affected area of Dikchu where a four storeyed RCC building belonging to Passang Thendup Kazi occupied by five tenants had totally collapsed. Here he met the affected people and offered Rs. 50,000 for rehabilitating the victims.
He also announced that the relief compensation for East district will be disbursed on 26 Sept. in Gangtok.
Urging all the labourers who are still here to stay back, he said that there is no reason to fear when the Government was at hand to help them.
The CM was accompanied by Minister for Roads and Bridges, R B Subba, Minister for Health, D N Thakarpa, Minister for Power, Sonam Gyatso Lepcha and Mangan MLA, Tashi Wangdi Lepcha, MP Lok Sabha, PD Rai along with other dignitaries and party people.